


Ficlet Challenge: Day 1 - After

by a1_kitkat



Series: February-Ficlet-Challenge-2021 [1]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Canon-Typical Violence, February Ficlet Challenge, Forbidden Love, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, Not Beta Read, Older Man/Younger Man, Prompt Fic, kissing in the moonlight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:34:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29131878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat
Summary: After the sun goes down, the cover of darkness brings hidden feelings to light
Relationships: Alex Manes/Jim Valenti
Series: February-Ficlet-Challenge-2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137701
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8
Collections: February Ficlet Challenge 2021: Apocalypse No





	Ficlet Challenge: Day 1 - After

**Author's Note:**

> Today’s Prompt - After

After nightfall there was always a quiet to the air; the stars seemed brighter in the darkened sky above as did the moon which was full and round. Alex pulled his jacket tighter around himself as he moved closer to the makeshift fire pit. 

There was a perfectly good fireplace in the tiny hunting cabin but that’s also where his father was with the Valenti’s, Jim and Kyle. The last place he wanted to be was inside with the three of them. His father would affix his usual look of disappointment upon him, Kyle would be muttering derogatory things under his breath in Alex’s direction and Jim would watch Alex in a sympathetic way while being oblivious to Kyle’s taunting. 

Alex knelt on the ground, the borrowed lighter in his trembling hands as he tried to get a small fire going for warmth. After many years of trips to this cabin Alex was fairly skilled at basic survival skills… and bracing for inevitable beatings. He was certain that just being out here, alone, would be all the excuse his father would need to slap him around but these days his old man used Alex’s existence as reason enough to beat him.

He watched the flames as they took to the kindling then closed his eyes, listening to the quiet. To the sound of  _ nothing.  _ The silence that came after the sun went down.

The sound of footsteps on dead leaves behind him caused his eyes to fly open, immediately on alert. Alex spun around, leapt to his feet before moving further away. It had to be his father, coming outside to rough him up… away from witnesses. Jesse never laid a hand on him in front of other people.

“Whoa, it’s okay, Alex,” the familiar voice was calm, soft, gentle. “It’s just me.”

His heart was still thumping but not from fear anymore, Jim’s arrival brought all new mixed feelings with it. 

“Mind if I join you?” Jim asked.

He knew it would be rude to say yes, that he  _ did mind _ so Alex silently nodded his head but watched very cautiously as Jim moved around the fire and closer to him. Instinct told him to shrink away but a part of him wanted to stay put, stay close to him.

Jim came right around the fire pit, his eyes on the flames as he navigated closer to Alex then sank down to the ground. He stretched his leg out and began to massage his calf.

“I’m getting too old for this,” Jim stated. “Too much hiking with Kyle.”

“You’re not  _ old _ , Sheriff,” Alex replied as he sat back down, flinching in pain.

“Alex?” Jim’s tone turned dark with worry. “Are you… hurt?”

“What? No!”

“What did he do this time?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing!”

Alex’s defense mechanism was always to lie, to pretend everything was fine but Jim clearly wasn’t buying it. He watched as the older man shifted and slowly moved closer. Jim’s hand reached for him and Alex pulled further away, his heart racing.

“Alex?” Jim’s voice was so gentle, kind. Exactly what Alex needed to hear after… “Alex, please?”

“You can’t see anything, Sheriff, he makes sure of it.”

“It’s been ongoing for a while, hasn’t it?”

He didn’t want to admit it but Jim was someone he could trust, he’d known him his entire life and he  _ wanted  _ to say something. Alex wanted Jim to see his pain, he wanted Jim to sweep him off his feet and whisk him away from Jesse but Alex’s feelings were so, so inappropriate… he couldn’t risk anyone getting the slightest hint of his ridiculous crush on the older man.

“Alex, please?” Jim whispered. “You can trust me… Please, show me what he did to you.”

Jim’s hand was outstretched towards him, his eyes gazing at Alex with concern in his orbs. Alex could see the worry on his face very clear by the glow of the fire. He felt himself sliding closer to him and Alex slowly removed his jacket before rolling up his sleeve to reveal a very nasty looking bruise. He heard the gasp that passed from his throat then Jim was reaching for him.

Alex moved even closer and Jim’s fingers traced the bruise on his skin. His touch was gentle and almost loving. Alex felt tears forming in his eyes as his heart began to race. He’d only ever dreamed of being this close to Jim, the intimacy of Jim’s touch was almost too much for him to bear.

His fingers were still massaging the bruise on Alex’s skin, tracing the same shape over and over until Alex gasped. His entire body tensed as their eyes met and his heart continued to race. 

Eyes locked, Jim’s index finger still absently tracing the shape of a heart upon Alex’s skin. He wanted to make the first move, to lean forward and kiss him but he couldn’t. It was wrong; he was Kyle’s dad! 

His heart was racing faster than ever before as he stared at Jim, watched in silence as the older man slowly leaned down and pressed his lips to the bruise on Alex’s wrist. He held his breath as Jim softly kissed his skin.

“Sher…” Alex began but stopped. “Jim?” He whispered, almost breathlessly.

“I’m sorry,” Jim’s breath was warm against Alex’s skin.

He closed his eyes to hold back his unshed tears. Jim was going to push him away, he just  _ knew  _ it.

“I’m sorry, Alex,” Jim whispered. “I’m sorry Jesse did this to you… that he does this and I… I can’t stop him…”

“It’s not your job to protect me, Jim,”

“As Sheriff it technically is but… Alex, Jesse Manes is a… a…”

“I know,” Alex whispered before opening his eyes. “I know he’s… terrifying…”

Jim didn’t let go, reached up with his other hand and gently stroked Alex’s cheek. He leaned into Jim’s tender touch and softly pressed a kiss to his palm.

“You deserve so much better, Alex,” Jim whispered.

“I just want you…”

Alex gasped as he realized what he’d accidentally let slip and his eyes flew open in mortified embarrassment. Jim was looking at him in a way he never had before.

“I’m sorry!” Alex gasped. “I didn’t… I mean, I shouldn’t…”

He started to pull away until Jim’s hand shifted, moved into his hair and stopped him from moving.

“Alex, it’s okay,” 

“No, it’s not because-”

“I want you, too,” Jim whispered as he looked into Alex’s nervous eyes. 

He felt his heart drop into his stomach, convinced he’d misheard. This was some kind of trick, a sick joke or something… Had Kyle put him up to this somehow? Was this just another way for Kyle to torture him?

“But we can’t…” Jim added. Not here, not now… Not with your dad and Kyle so close…”

“What… What are you saying?” Alex stammered.

“I… I’m saying this isn’t right even if it’s something we both want… We can’t…”

“I… I know… Jim, I’m sorry…”

“No, Alex, I’m sorry because I really want to kiss you and I know I shouldn’t but I… Can I? Can I kiss you? Just once, please?”

The tears were silently spilling down his cheeks. No one had ever asked permission to kiss him before. He knew the right thing to do was say No, to walk away. What if Jesse saw them? What if Kyle saw them? But Alex wanted so badly to say yes. After everything he’d been through, why couldn’t he have this one thing for himself?

He slowly nodded his head yes as he reached up and wiped his tears from his face.

“Yes,” Alex whispered. “Please? Just once.”

Time appeared to move in slow motion as Jim leaned in, closing the distance between them. Leaning into the embrace, Alex closed his eyes and the moment their lips touched, he knew one kiss from Jim would never be enough. He felt Jim’s arms around his body, holding him close as he lost himself in the taste of the older man’s lips.

They reluctantly parted and Alex hugged into him, never wanting to leave his protective arms.

“I should go,” Jim whispered. “Before your dad comes looking for me or you…”

“Jim…”

“I’m sorry, Alex, I shouldn’t have… We shouldn’t have… I’m sorry…”

Jim released Alex and climbed to his feet. Gazes still locked, he didn’t want to walk away. They’d crossed that line and there was no going back now. He couldn’t stay, had to go but he couldn’t speak, didn’t want to say something that would cause Alex more pain so he simply scrambled away with tears in his own eyes.

Alex stayed put, watching as Jim retreated back over the hill and, no doubt, back into the cabin. He wiped the fresh tears from his cheeks before kicking dirt onto the flames, putting the warm fire out and plunging himself plus the immediate area into darkness.

He pulled his jacket on and stared up at the dark sky because after nightfall there was always a quiet to the air, a quiet that Alex usually loved but tonight… tonight it was a different love he’d felt.


End file.
